March 16, 2006	Thursday	Safar 15, 1427

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ISLAMABAD, March 15: The International Crisis Group says that the military government in Pakistan will risk increasing threats to domestic and regional security, undermine civilian participation and allow banned jihadi groups to continue to wield influence if it insists on dominating post-quake reconstruction efforts.

In its latest report on ‘Pakistan: political impact of the earthquake’, the ICG says that the government sought to use rescue and relief of quake victims, and now intends to use reconstruction and rehabilitation, to demonstrate its competence.

It says the government’s attempt to maintain central control and refuse civilian oversight and other transparency measures while encouraging a prominent role for religious organisations, including banned jihadi groups, is a threat to the international efforts for peace.

“The military’s ineffective initial response to the October 8 earthquake in Kashmir and the NWFP cost many lives. Its incapacity reflected institutional shortcomings and inadequacies of authoritarian rule. Still, it appears the military intends to maintain its central in the reconstruction and rehabilitation phase,” the report adds.

The government sidelined civilian structures in quake-hit areas and its strategic priorities were translated into support to the relief role of jihadi organisations who were operating under new names, alleged Samina Ahmed, the group’s project director for South Asia. “If the same scenario is replicated in the reconstruction phase, there is little hope that millions of affected people will get any benefit,” she said and alleged that the donor community had empowered jihadis by working closely with the military.

International humanitarian organisations and donors should shift to a partnership with secular political parties and civil society organisations and persuade the government to create an independent oversight mechanism to shape reconstruction priorities, she stressed.

For reconstruction to succeed, the government must allow broader involvement of civil administration and NGOs and prevent illegal jihadi networks from gaining credibility through their privileged position.

“Pressing Musharraf to sever his ties with banned jihadi groups and exclude them from earthquake relief and reconstruction would also empower moderate Pakistani voices and address India’s concerns”, said Robert Templer, Asia Programme Director of the Crisis Group. “Turning a blind eye again to Musharraf’s links to the jihadis would further embolden radical forces that are capitalising on years of military rule”, he observed.